Smoke and Mirrors
by mypurplethoughts
Summary: After Roman's heartbreaking announcement about having to relinquish the Universal Title and battling leukemia, and how the writers ended RAW with Dean unexpectedly turning heel, Seth Rollins finds himself alone in a dark corner trying to reconcile his feelings.


Smoke and Mirrors

After all was said and done, and the smoke cleared up, Seth Rollins found himself alone in a dark corner of the arena seated on one of the production crates. Tonight was hard—perhaps the hardest episode of RAW that he had to be a part of. Known to always wear his heart on his sleeve, Seth had cried a couple of times on live TV—after his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania, and after witnessing the historic match between Sasha Banks and Bayley at NXT Takeover.

But nothing could prepare him for a night like this—not when one of his best friends inside and outside the WWE had to make such a shocking announcement. Not that he was clueless. He and Dean had always known about Roman's previous battle with cancer—but it was something that lingered quietly among the three of them, because it just seemed impossible to wrap their heads around the idea that it could return. It just wasn't supposed to happen—not to the biggest Superstar of the WWE; not to the leader of the locker rooms; not to their best friend. It just didn't make sense.

What was an emotional start to the show ended up to be a foreshadowing of things to come. As soon as the writers briefed him and Dean about how their tag team match would end, in which they would actually win the titles and then Dean would turn, they couldn't believe it. Though they both understood that it needed to be done, their hearts sank just thinking about how this could be The Shield's last run. And they didn't want it to be. All three of them enjoyed reuniting after what seemed like forever, but in reality, was just four years. But when you've been in the business for as long as they have, and you've witnessed wrestlers come and go, and you've worked together very hard to bring yourselves to the top, it forges a bond unlike any other. A bond so special, that not even a wife or a girlfriend could understand. Dean turning his back on Seth meant breaking their on-screen friendship for good—and they just weren't sure if they were mentally and emotionally ready for that. It was just a lot to take in in one night.

Hearing light footsteps from the other side of the hall, Seth quickly wiped away another tear. The flash of purple hair and a pair of thick-rimmed glasses—Seth knew all too well that Sasha Banks was approaching.

"Hey," she greeted him softly, unsure if she was allowed to come closer than where she stood three meters away. She was already showered and dressed in leggings and a grey hoodie, with a black beanie holding her hair away from her face.

"Hey," he answered back, trying his best not to let his voice crack.

"Um, I was just about to leave with a friend but I saw your car still parked back there," she told him. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Seth appreciated the gesture. Sasha had always been one of his closest friends in the roster. There was something about their batch from NXT that felt more like a family compared to the succeeding call-ups—him, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Cesaro, The New Day, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Bayley—just to name a few. They were known to have changed the toxic locker room culture into something more supportive and positive these days. And over the years, Sasha had become one of his go-to CrossFit buddies. If they were making towns and following exhausting loops, she was immediately one of those he speed dialed to grab a cup of coffee in any local coffee spot. Shows in Boston or Davenport immediately meant they could crash in each other's places, and it was always perfectly alright with the other. Fans shipped them, those obsessed would create videos or Photoshop pictures of them, and he knew it had something to do with him being vocal and constantly talking about wanting to work with her, especially when he was asked who his dream mixed match partner was, or who would be the ideal female member of The Shield.

"I'm fine," he started. "Just a really long day."

Sasha bit her lip, before deciding to slowly make her way towards him. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and he looked like he was about to crash anytime soon. Dressed down in sweatpants and his school's zip-up hoodie, she took a seat beside him. "I can't imagine how it must feel for you right now," she said. "And I'll be honest, I don't have anything to say to make you feel better. I don't think any of the usual comforting words will help."

Seth loved that about Sasha—she would always say exactly what was in her head. She didn't pretend or sugarcoat things. She called it as she saw it. And she knew that no amount of words could comfort him at the moment—he just needed a friend to be there and listen.

"I'm scared," Seth let out. "I never wanted to admit it, but I'm just so fucking scared."

"You're allowed to be."

"You think everything is going fine one minute, and then all of a sudden…" he couldn't even continue his sentence as he remembered Roman's situation so instead, he swallowed hard.

They fell into a comfortable silence—Seth staring into space, and Sasha quietly watching him. Without saying anything, she placed a hand on top of his and quickly, he took it and laced their fingers together.

"Seth," Sasha said softly. "You are allowed to feel, you know?"

And like a dam waiting to break, Seth hiccuped and suddenly fell on Sasha's lap—completely breaking the walls he so carefully built around himself throughout the years. Covering his face with his hands, he cried quietly—allowing her to stroke his hair and letting her whisper soothing words in his ear. "It's okay. You can let it out. It's okay."

Wave after wave of tears flowed out until his eyes were wrung dry, and he fell into an exhausted sleep. Sasha watched him the whole time, never letting his hand go. Even after hours and she felt her thighs going numb, she didn't bother to wake him. And when he did at nearly 4am, he was stunned to find Sasha still there—her hand still in his, eyes drooping from fighting the sleep creeping in.

"Hey," his voice was hoarse. "Why didn't you wake me?"

She shrugged. "You really needed this."

He gave her a half-smile. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this."

She shook her head. "No," she assured him. "We're family. This is what we do. You would have done the same thing for me."

He placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to press a kiss on her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"Better actually. Like a chunk of weight was lifted off my shoulders."

"It helps to cry it out," Sasha said. "I do it all the time."

"Oh yeah?" he playfully poked her waist.

"Well, I cry by myself. I don't normally have anyone stroking my hair," she teased him.

"I can do that for you."

"Right."

"Seriously, Banks," Seth took her hand. "Thanks again."

She smiled at him. "You're welcome, Seth. You don't always have to keep those walls up."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, a deep and unspoken understanding between them, before Seth broke the silence. "Hey, you hungry?"

"Depends."

"How about some milkshake and burgers at 4am?"

"You had me at milkshake."

"Come on then."

Jumping off the crate, Seth offered his hand to Sasha, who took it before hopping off the crate as well. Placing an arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist, they walked off into a new day, knowing that things would eventually be okay.

The End


End file.
